


Perspective

by Keitmeg



Series: Zosan Package [18]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cock Slut, Come Swallowing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dark, Eventual Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji, Injured Vinsmoke Sanji, M/M, Oral Fixation, Possessed Sanji Vinsmoke, Possession, Possessive Sex, Rough Sex, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:48:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keitmeg/pseuds/Keitmeg
Summary: It's one of those times where Nami wishes she minded her own business.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Series: Zosan Package [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/832011
Comments: 27
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

It's a recurring patter that awakens him, deep and loud, and it clatters inside his head like the white noise of an old TV, almost feeling like there's something buried inside and it's burrowing its way out. He stirs slightly, hoping to coax whatever is clutching his brain to release him already.

To relieve the pressure, he shifts, but it’s a little too late when he finds that moving only invites the noise to get more violent.

Zoro cracks his eye open to study his surroundings, and, after hazy inspection, he knows where he is. He's in the sick bay, but he's not sure if that's where he should be. And come to think of it, he doesn’t remember where he was, or what he was doing, and the pain is seizing him in a vicelike grip for him to sit there and try to recall anything.

But he figures if he’s in the sick bay, then Chopper must be looking after him. That calls for fewer worries, and Zoro finds himself too tired to bother about being concerned for anything right now, so he closes his eyes.

The aspiring swordsman wakes up again some time later and the light is more forgiving, the pressure in his head less raw. There's non-threatening presence in the room beside his bed of two people, or perhaps three; he’s still out of it to pay careful attention to details. They’re hovering, and while he thinks it's maybe what woke him, he also knows that he's been brought in here and tended to; even the damage done to his knuckles has been amended.

"Don’t move yet. You've had quite a knock to the head." No shit. He can tell Chopper’s using his indoor voice, but the resonation still aggravates his headache.

“What happened?”

"We've got things under control now.” Nami’s voice penetrates his hearing, somehow soothing as for once she isn’t nagging like usual. “You can rest for a while."

That didn’t answer his question; he guessed they’d at least guess this bitch of a headache he’s having and show some sympathy, but apparently no one is forgiving enough to allow him access to the answers he needs.

There’s shuffling in the room, footsteps moving about before finally heading away from the bed, perhaps towards the door.

“It's safe now.”

That’s Luffy’s voice, the same voice he uses right after placing his straw hat on his friends’ heads and venturing out to protect them against whatever enemy was making their life a living hell.

“That’s right,” Chopper chimes in, and he adjusts the pillow’s proportions under Zoro’s head, but the man catches a whiff of blood staining the edges of the reindeer’s hooves. “We’re here now. Just rest more while we take care of things from here.”

Despite the assurance, Zoro thinks he senses something deeper lingering on the edges, something tense and worried, but unspoken just the same. But they’re right about one thing, Zoro is bone tired. So, despite how shameful it is, he decides to leave things to his friends for now.

The next time he comes to, he feels his mind clearer, the dull ache in his head has faded to the back, becoming more manageable. He brings a hand to the side of his left temple, fingers probing the bandage and what resides underneath it.

The sick bay is empty, and even the doctor is nowhere to be seen. The nauseating sensation he used to get has ebbed, and Zoro finds that he can sit up without feeling the need to throw up. That’s why he decides to leave this smell of ailing and go outside to investigate.

He doesn’t go far, though, when he realizes he’s been stripped down to his boxers only.

There are cuts and abrasions scattered over his abdomen, now that he looks, but none of which are as deep as the gash on his temple. There are raw cuts on his knuckles, which suggest he might have been in a fight. He just hopes these aren’t a testimony to him losing.

Upon exiting the room, Zoro, fully dressed now, lifts an arm against the sun and takes a moment to breathe in the scent of the sea. That moment of peace, however, doesn’t last, and a deep scowl creases over his forehead when he witnesses firsthand the state the deck is in. It was Franky’s and Usopp’s wish for the shipmates to avoid causing damage to the ship, but it seems like whatever happened that Zoo can’t remember involved breaking the ground rule.

Broken pieces of wood everywhere, shards of glass strewn all over the lawn, glistening against the beaming sunlight..

With the uneasiness growing, Zoro cuts the examination short and looks around for his friends, hoping they’re huddled in the dining-room because, he admits, if they suddenly decided to play hide-and-seek, he might end up searching in the bottom of the ocean.

“Zoro.” Said man reels around, finding Franky coming down the stairs with a utility box in his hand. “You’re finally up, how are you feeling?”

The swordsman’s scowl deepens. “Where’s everyone?”

Franky has reached him after heeding the spots with the wreckage, careful not to step on them. He places the box on the floor and hooks his thumb over his broad shoulder. “Usopp is inside the bar, fixing the aquarium. Luffy is helping him. Brook should be out of the factory soon; I asked him to bring more wood. The rest is in the men’s quarters.”

Hearing that, Zoro’s eyes travel up to the door of said room, impressed that it’s still on its hinges, narrows his eye and catches sight of Nami’s back. That’s odd. And just as he decides to head towards the room, Franky’s hand on his elbow stops him.

“Let them figure out what’s happening first,” he said. “We still need to understand why he did it.”

“What” –Zoro gulps noisily– “What’re you talking about?”

“Sanji,” Franky provides. “He’s sleeping now, but it won’t be long before he’s awake.”

Something ticks, and Zoro finds himself wrenching his arm from his friend’s, the need to know greater than anyone can quench. He scurries towards the men’s quarters despite Franky’s warning not to, and the closer he gets, the more uneasy he feels.

There’s something wrong, especially when he realizes that some of the ones Franky didn’t count are either standing or sitting inside, watching. It doesn’t feel right; in fact, it sends him in cold sweat because he’s never associated his friends with something other than long-night vigils and safeguarding, so this almost feels ominous.

He steps in, and Robin, who’s standing beside the three double-decker bunks, is the first to prompt up at his arrival, then Nami and Chopper, with the former sitting on the floor on her knees. It seems this part of the ship also didn’t manage to skip the ruinous remodeling; there are slicing cut marks on the lockers, and the carpenters’ axe that was supposed to be hooked to the wall is gone.

“Zoro, what’re you doing here, you should be resting!” Chopper’s high-pitched voice brings Zoro to the figure lying motionless on the couch.

“You shouldn’t be up so soon; it’s only been a day.” Nami admonishes. “Go back to the sick bay, you big oaf!”

Ignoring their attempts to chase him out, Zoro strides straight over to the figure on the couch, and as he lays eyes on his blond nakama, Zoro could swear his lungs stopped operating.

Sanji’s sweaty face is pasty, deathly so, and mottled with bruises. Looking closer, Zoro almost feels nauseated again at the sight of a set of hand prints at his throat. He was also stripped of his clothes, but there's a bandage taped across Sanji’s left shoulder and it's dotted with blood.

“The fuck happened?” despite his query, Zoro knows that this somehow relates to him. He is just upset he can’t remember how.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

Judging by their reaction, Zoro is astounded that no one is furious enough to demand who did this to their nakama, and whether or not Zoro got the offenders back.

“I- I don’t” He doesn’t remember. That’s the honest truth; he wishes he could so he’d spare everyone the dilemma of swimming in uncertainties, but he doesn’t. He kneels down, a part of him wondering if touching Sanji could jog his memory, but his hand doesn’t request his permission before it’s landing on the crown of Sanji’s head.

“Careful,” Robin warns, darkly. “We restrained him for now, but we don’t know how strong the entity really is.”

It’s been one shocking revelation after another, so Zoro forgives himself for not noticing until now. But, just as they warned, Sanji’s wrists are cuffed together beneath the cover sheet. That suddenly outrages him, he doesn’t know why, and it should be upsetting. Waking up with memory loss and one nasty headache, then being shown this version of your nakama, then told to watch out for him.

How is nobody losing his shit?

“Get them off.” He rumbles. If they’re failing to see that it’s Sanji and he’s in intense pain, then Zoro is happy to clarify the picture. “Didn’t you hear me, get these cuffs off.”

“Zoro,” Nami’s eyes look tired; in fact, everyone’s eyes are, deep levels of sleeplessness finally showing its print on his friends. “That’s not Sanji.”

“What’re you talking about?” Zoro bellows, but regrets it immediately as the ringing echoes in his head, spurring on the pain. “How can you sit there and tell me that this isn’t Cook?”

Their commotion attracts the ones outside, and Luffy walks in, followed by Usopp. The other two must have stayed behind to finish the reparations.

“We disembarked three days ago, do you remember that?” Robin starts. “We left you and Sanji to guard the ship and went to the island. You called us two days ago, about Sanji. You were worried he was acting weird.” Robin’s frown deepens. “Do you really not remember any of that?”

Nami finishes for her. “You said you were worried that Sanji might have caught some sort of a disease, so you requested for Chopper.”

“We sent him back with Nami to give a second opinion, the rest of us stayed behind since the marines were scouting the harbor.” Usopp sighs. “We couldn’t risk it.”

“Fine, but how does that pertain to anything that’s going on right now?” Zoro demands. “Why is he cuffed?”

“We don't like it anymore than you do,” Chopper deadpans. “But we don’t know what really happened, we just knew something wasn’t right after we saw him. Yes, that’s Sanji’s body, but I don’t think he’s the one manning the helm.”

“So, what the hell are you trying to say, you’re saying he’s been possessed?”

"I don't know which is what, precisely, Zoro.” Chopper lowers his head. “I don't know what happened. But I know what I saw. The last time I spoke to Sanji he was fine. A little concerned about staying behind and leaving Nami and Robin come with us, but he was fine.”

Nami adds, “I called in yesterday to check on you two, and he said you were driving him up the wall stealing sake from his kitchen, but then you're always driving each other mad about one thing or another. Only I know he doesn't usually take an axe to your head when it gets too much.”

“I’m pretty sure the thought has crossed his mind more than once, though." Usopp chuckles.

“An axe?” Zoro echoes, his hand going up to his wounded temple as though hoping that would help him remember quickly. “Did” –he clears his throat– “Did I do that to him?”

"We only came in towards the end,” Chopper starts, “Sanji was already pretty beaten up by then. But whatever must have possessed him was quite violent, so we don't know how much of this damage was actually you.”

Is that supposed to be some form of comfort, or what?

There are threatening traces in her voice as Robin brings the talk back to the situation they’re faced with. “That’s why we’re telling you we’re not sure what possessed him.”

Again, Nami takes it upon herself to finish her friend’s sentence. “And until we do, the cuffs stay.”

Zoro feels the foreboding chill creep up his spine as he takes in all of Sanji’s ashen face; without much thought, he brings his fingers to the blond man’s neck, tracing the swollen marks and trying to comprehend how this tragedy came to befall them.

Robin reads the subtle doubt in Zoro’s eye. "My guess is you were trying to restrain him. Choking him out was probably how you deemed you could keep him contained, but I don't think he took to the idea too well."

“Zoro,” Nami takes in a deep breath before letting it out. “You don’t remember, but we got here just in time to see that look in his eyes. He wanted to hit you with the axe, Zoro, he really meant it.”

“I say that’s par for the course.”

“This time was different!” Nami’s chin touches her neck; eyes staring at the state the Cook is in. “He wanted to hurt you.”

That still doesn’t change much of the fact that they always want to hurt each other; Zoro is certain that they’re only blowing things out of proportion. He remembers Sanji kicking him in the balls once; he calls that hurting a nakama’s body, and pride. But nobody restrained him back then, how is this any different!

However, the way they’re portraying what happened seems a bit strange, and not to mention out of character for Sanji.

“So, what, we just keep him restrained, until when?”

“We performed several exorcises on him already, and a few other standard cleansing rituals, none of which seemed good enough to free his will.” Robin switches the weight of her body to her other leg. “We can’t deal with something that we don’t even understand, so, until he wakes up, I’m afraid, yeah, we just have to keep him restrained.”

The blood dots on the dressing, then, pick Zoro’s interest as he finally deciphers their shape. “Is that a stab wound?” As he notices their eyes flicking away, that clutch of fear seizes him again, and he rumbles. “Did I stab him?”

Three days ago, Thousand Sunny docked perfectly in its berth, announcing the arrival of the Strawhats, and thus their freedom to explore the island.

It hadn’t been long since they stopped at a previous island, so Sanji stayed because he’d already had everything he wanted, including the grocery, but he didn’t mind asking Usopp to buy more. He only remained behind to prepare dinner, and even then, he’d moaned about wanting to accompany the two Beauties of the Sea to protect them. That had only gained him two slaps on each cheek.

As for Zoro, he was appointed the job of guarding the ship. He was fine with anything.

The rest of them headed to the nearest town, everyone with things on mind they wished to buy.

Upon reaching the busy streets, the navigator decided they should split into two groups, and meet again in five hours. That’s why, Nam, accompanied with Robin and Chopper headed west, the rest went east.

The island was bigger than the one they’d set anchor at the month before, Nami thought. They found more stores, and more restaurants. The girls tried on attires of different brands, and so did Chopper who got swept in their pace. They tasted different foods, and vowed to brag to Sanji once they were back.

The only problem was that they hadn’t counted on finding marine forces roaming the streets, but that had never stopped them before. The difference now was that they needed to be careful not to bring unwanted attention to their ship.

Nami decided to use the Den-den Mushi and let everyone in on their plan to spend the night in one of the hotels in town, hoping the ones who came along would do the same. Although hers and Robin’s decision disheartened Sanji, she was certain he had other things to be concerned about if Zoro was stealing from him.

On the second day, Nami’s group decided to take things more seriously and do the shopping they came here for, going from one stall to the other, haggling with vendors, and just giving a bad name to business. Robin, apparently, didn’t mind; and nor did Chopper. They’d become too used to Nami’s attitude that it didn’t deter them as it should anymore.

Around dusk, their Den-Den Mushy rang, and Zoro’s voice had sounded gravely worried.

“I don’t know!!” He had answered Nami’s demand to explain what he meant by ‘Cook is acting strange’. “Get Chopper down here as fast as you can.”

“Is he ill?” Chopper interjected. “Is he showing any symptoms?”

“Does intent to kill count–”

The call ended suddenly, leading the three to share a horrified look.

Robin called the rest of the Straw-Hat members to meet near the town’s praying maiden fountain, but since Chopper couldn’t wait to hurry back and assess Sanji, he decided to leave first. She couldn’t let him go back by himself, so she offered to go with him.

“No,” Nami insisted. “You must wait here for the others. I’ll go with Chopper first.”

“But, Nami…”

The girl shook her head, denoting the end of the conversation. “Just make sure you guide everyone back to the ship.”

“I will.” Robin nodded, and rested her hand on Nami’s shoulder. “Be careful.”

The other grinned. “I always am.” Looking away from the tan-skinned woman, Nami sighed and faced the direction of the ship. “Chopper, let’s go.”

“Mm, get on.”

She rode his back after he switched to Walk Point, and Robin watched them hurry down the street.

On their way back, Nami tried to call those two idiots on Thousand Sunny, have them report the situation to her but none of them was picking up. That was the thing that set her off more; it had always been a rule to always answer the Den-Den Mushi, no matter how bad the situation. If none of them was answering, Nami feared that something bad had happened.

It took some time to evade the marines, but if she was going to get caught by them, then she couldn’t pride herself as the Cat Burglar anymore.

As they finally reached the ship, Chopper switched to Jump Point, carried Nami in bridal style and leaped up to the deck railing, and the two watched what came of the lawn, it felt as though a storm had stuck suddenly, wreaking everything unfortunate to stand in its way. The lights in the crow’s nest and the dining-room were on, so Nami couldn’t understand why Zoro and Sanji weren’t picking up.

She stepped down, followed by Chopper who wasn’t certain they should, not until those two showed themselves. His wish, then, came true as a spectacular shattering broke the silence.

The two of them faced each other with eyes wide to comical proportions, before nodding at each other to skirt towards the source of the noise. The clattering came from the aquarium bar, so they kept low, eyes scouring their surroundings as they climbed the stairs.

The disturbance continued, despite Nami’s hope it was just something they would deal with by nagging those two to their graves.

“What’re you planning to do, huh?”

Nami and Chopper left the shelter of the structure and skidded closer to the room, opening its door and slipping in the shadows.

“Are you just going to kill me with that thing?” Zoo’s voice was strained, like he was struggling against something.

“If that’s going to solve it, then so be it!”

Nami and Chopper turned the corner in time to see Sanji planting his foot against Zoro’s chest, pinning him to the ground; what was even more disturbing about the scene –more than the look of horror in Zoro’s eye– was the axe in Sanji’s hand.

“It doesn’t have to end this way!”

Sanji ignored Zoro’s plea, and lifted up the axe. Both Nami and Chopper could see no glint in Sanji’s eyes; those sea blue eyes that used to shimmer like a never ending sunrise, were now dulled and dark, like a man with no will to live.

Those two had always maimed each other; it had somehow become their symbol of friendship; however, that, that wasn’t the same.

Sanji was different.

“I’m going to end it, alright.”

That wasn’t Nami’s, nor Chopper’s area of expertise, and, for a second, the girl wished she’d let Robin come instead, seeing how things were happening so fast, and Sanji’s axe was coming down to Zoro’s head with frightening speed; no time to act.

“Sanji, stop!”

Chopper’s cry reverberated inside the room, but Nami doubted it’d shatter the glass of the fish tank since it had already been broken.

The blond man's eyes widened dangerously; he didn’t stop, but the speed was slightly altered and hence the trajectory. That gave Zoro enough time to react, snatching his sword from the ground and swinging.

Sanji’s hand twisted, shifting the direction of the axe’s blade so that it’s facing the opposite direction.

The metal collided with their skin, Zoro’s sword slicing through Sanji’s shoulder, and the back of Sanji’s axe hitting Zoro’s head.

Sanji whined as soon as the edge of Zoro’s sword cut through his flesh, the flaring pain prompting him to let go of his own weapon. The axe slipped from his hand before he fell to the ground.

Neither one stirred.

It was hard to believe that Sanji was so close to ending Zoro’s life, but Nami knew that people like them couldn’t go along with things like relief. She couldn’t allow herself a moment of reprieve until she made sure Sanji was under control.

It wasn’t long before the rest of the shipmates arrived just in time for Nami to throw herself between Luffy’s arms and sob –not cry, but actually sob.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, it's 4 chapters now.  
> This very early update is to celebrate Hypothetical Darkness finally hitting 900 kudos.   
> It was my first ever Zosan work, and I couldn't find a better way to celebrate!   
> Thank you, minna!

_ Sanji felt something eerie was happening when the lights in the kitchen flickered. At first, he dismissed it as abnormal electrical discharges, but, when the currents came and left until the light in one of the blinking bulbs went out, he knew something was up. _

_ He’d been cooped up in here preparing dinner; he’d already figured that his friends would come back hungry and hampering for the food he makes after their adventure in the new island. He couldn’t say he was happy about staying, but the fact that they’d stopped on land a little less than a month ago kind of helped reshape his resolve. His only regret was that he couldn’t escort the two Beauties of the Sea, and maybe see them in cute dresses that show their amazing legs. _

_ It was lonely, he admitted. Calm, though, since the troublesome trio wasn’t there, but lonely all the same. He’d gotten too used to his friends making a ruckus everywhere while he stood there making them food that, now, he couldn’t help but find that he was not really used to the silence, not since he joined the Straw-Hats. _

_ Zoro was here, somewhere; either asleep or training. Last time Sanji looked to give him snacks, the man was in the crow’s nest, playing with his sword, and while he chuckled at the pun, the cook couldn’t help but be reminded of the solemn look on the swordsman’s face that led him to cut his shenanigans short, place the food on the floor and just leave. _

_ It was remarkable that the two of them hadn’t caused the ship to sink yet, but if it had been just the two of them, of course it was Sanji who was going to be the grownup. He already promised Nami; he wasn’t ready to break his promise for wanting to blow off steam. _

_ Thinking back on Zoro’s training, it had been a while since he trained using a sword; usually, the dumbbells there are usually what the swordsman opts for to gain more muscles in his arms, and hence better ability to handle the sword. But Sanji knew Enma was different. The moment Zoro wielded it back in Wano, it tried to suck his energy; Sanji knew his nakama was still trying to tame it. _

__

_ The Den-Den Mushi rang, and Sanji picked up because that had always been the rule; he couldn’t even count the number of times this little device saved their lives. _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “Sanji-kun?” Nami’s cheerful voice invaded his reverie. _

_ “Oh, Nami-san!” He abandoned what he was doing –stirring the eggs; he’d been planning to make a pie as dessert because he remembered Robin’s spoken craving this morning for apple pie, and seized the chance to groan about his choice to stay. “Your voice is such a delight; it’s chased away all my loneliness. I’m regretful that I stayed! Are you safe, and how is Robin-chwan!” _

_ “We’re good,” Nami provided. “It seems that we need to spend the night here. Sorry. We’ll see you tomorrow!” _

_ The moment he got distracted again by another electrical discharge, Nami seized the chance to hang up so she would be spared from his infuriating flirtations. _

_ The blond man placed the piece of contraption back in its place with a dejected expression, headed to the fridge to peck out more eggs, turned and practically collided with Zoro, who had followed him to the fridge door. _

_ Zoro’s elbow was tucked under the lapel of his coat, his eye looked clouded with unfathomable emotions, and there was Enma in his hand. _

_ “Move," Sanji growled. _

_ He closed the door and maneuvered himself through the gap between the fridge and Zoro. He frowned when the swordsman refused to move to let him by. _

__

It’s been hours, probably three, or more; honestly, Zoro has stopped checking. His nakamas have taken turns watching over Sanji, hovering nearby as though waiting for the moment that thing inside Sanji will wake, while he remains sitting cross-legged in the same spot, never taking his eye off the injured.

“You should eat something.” Brook advises, now pushing a plate near the Swordsman’s knee. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take before he wakes up, so you must keep your strength.”

Zoro glares at the piece of bread and meat on his place, like it was somehow their fault that things got this way; however, realizing that it’s been some time since he had a decent meal, he accepts the offered food.

Franky at the side clears his throat. “Say, Zoro, how about you sit this one out; Chopper was crying you weren’t taking enough rest.”

“I’m fine,” snarls Zoro, and, as though that was somehow his calling, he pushes away the food as well. And that calls for the other two’s expressions to fall.

Zoro’s been trying so hard to remember, but all he could manage was to gather pieces and fragments of memories that didn’t make much sense taken out of context. He’s been in enough fights as a kid, way before he got his hand on a sword, to know that these bloody knuckles caused most of the abrasions on Cook’s face.

What was it that Zoro had to go hard and not even hold back a little; he swung hard, he can tell by the throb emanating from his fingers. He just doesn’t know what about Sanji that stirred him so much he had to cause the man those injuries.

They’re saying they saw a murderous look in Sanji’s eyes, is that why he came after Zoro with an axe?

What is the origin of that thing that possessed him, then, when did it possess him to begin with?

Zoro remembers sensing Sanji’s presence back in the crow’s nest while he was trying to tame Enma, but the man never pried; didn’t even stick behind to be his usually annoying self.

Wait, wait a minute.

Zoro was training…

Luffy and Nami then walk in, the girl immediately studying Sanji’s flushed face for any signs of him waking up. The man’s no longer deathly pale, and, this time, they know that, instead of deluding themselves with the hope that Sanji might wake up, they know for certain that it’s only a matter of hours.

“It’s time,” Luffy beams. “We’re taking it from here.”

Franky and Brook lift up, the former with a groan, flinging Zoro a troubled look like he’s a poor thing, which the swordsman is amazed at himself for ignoring; if it was any other day under different circumstances, those two would have been kneeling, begging Zoro to spare him.

“He’s refusing to eat,” Franky reports. “Do something about it or else Chopper is going to be on my case all day, and that’s  _ super _ annoying.”

Then Usopp barges in, carrying three blades in his hands. “Oi, Zoro!” He slides near said man with little grace, dropping the swords next to the food Zoro refused earlier. “I believe these belong to you,” he ushers. “We found Ichimonji and Kitetsu inside the fish tank, while we don’t understand why they were there to begin with, but I think it’s time they returned to their rightful owner.”

The sight should delight him; his swords, that have become part of him like another limb, are finally united, but something about Enma keeps him from reaching to the handles.

“What’s wrong?” Franky asks after exchanging a suspicious look with the captain and Nami.

“Zoro?” the girl calls for his attention, but the swordsman is not removing his glare from the weapons.

_ “Are you fucking deaf, I said move.” Sanji rumbled, his cheerfulness replaced by a cross look in his eyes. He could see –even sense this intense energy just oozing out of the sword in Zoro’s hand, buzzing, and almost alive like it’s got its own conscience. But what disturbed him more was the dark color manifested in Zoro’s eye. “Move or I’ll make you.” _

_ That only caused Zoro to smirk, deep and cold, like he’d just stumbled across the perfect prey. _

_ “I’d like to see you try.” He delivered the words with a strike from his sword that Sanji could not foresee, but with years of experience, his honed instinct saved him from the slash of the blade as he shoved the other man and recoiled. _

_ “Oi, bastard,” Sanji warned post-the silent break that followed. “Even for a joke, this is pushing your luck–” _

_ Zoro came at him again, stealthy like a tiger, but instead of using the sword again, he had the element of surprise to grace his attack with his bare hand as he grabbed Sanji’s golden locks from the back of his head and slammed him against the counter. _

_ Sanji saw stars explode in his head, and that hit was enough to disorient him for a moment, but a moment was all Zoro needed. Without pausing his momentum, Zoro hurled Sanji’s head up, swung him singlehandedly and threw him over the counter, out into the dining room. _

_ The minute someone with Sanji’s body built fell on the table, it gave under his weight, and under the brunt of it, so did whatever that was placed on it. _

_ “Shit!” Sanji groaned, hacking a little into the panel flooring. He shook his head to shake the disorientation, and slowly started to lift up. _

_ “I guess you’re just talks, after all.” Zoro was coming toward him again, and Sanji couldn’t risk sabotaging this room –his sanctuary, any more than it’d been done. _

_ With his mind set, Sanji dashed towards the entrance, which prompted Zoro to fling the sword in his direction but the cook barely dodged by doing a little flip and finally slipping out of the door. _

_ “Are you just going to run?” Zoro’s voice chased after him, rough and mocking. “And you dare call yourself a member of the monster trio!” _

_ Sanji wasn’t trying to run; he thought fighting somewhere spacious would give him more room to attack. So far, it’d been only Zoro carrying out his punches, and although it was odd for a samurai who would cut his own leg before parting with any of his swords, Sanji couldn’t just sit there and try to make sense of any of it. _

_ Zoro strode out of the kitchen, and under the pale light of the moon, he saw Sanji sanding in the lawn, glaring up at him with eyes very determined. His smirk grew as he leaped down, Enma still in his hand, thumping with forceful energy. _

_ “That’s more like it!” Zoro roared, now diving towards him with his sword ready to cut through flesh. “You’re quite the romantic, aren’t you!” _

_ Sanji raised his flaming leg, Diable Jambe ready to defend against Zoro’s Enma. The metal collided with the flame in Sanji’s lower leg, causing it to rebound, but Zoro repeated the attack, again and again, until sparks started flying everywhere. _

_ He looked absolutely ecstatic. _

_ “More!” Zoro also sounded hysteric with power. “Show me more!” _

_ Sanji was worried he could not catch a break to understand what came over Zoro all of a sudden, but the ominous energy flowing from the sword somehow helped him identify the source. _

_ “Don’t make me laugh” –sanji grumbled through gritted teeth as he was trying to hold off Zoro’s evil sword– “Why the fuck would I do anything you want!” _

_ Zoro quivered with a vivacious laugh, then his dangerous eye bore through Sanji’s until the man felt a shudder coursing through him. “Oh, you’re strong!” _

_ With that strengthening his resolve, Sanji mustered the rest of his power and spun in the air before landing a violent kick whose shockwave Zoro could not withstand. _

_ As the swordsman got sent airborne and then crashed against the handrails, Sanji took the chance to light up another cigarette. _

_ “Of course I’m strong.” He blew out smoke into the night. “Don’t even joke about it!” That wasn’t even the issue, and, in the bigger scheme of things, the need to figure out what was wrong with Zoro was even more urging. _

_ As he beheld the damage, it used to be only Usopp, but, now, both he and Franky were so not going to be happy about the violent makeover Zoro and Sanji were bringing about to Thousand Sunny. _

_ Sanji stood there, sucking on the cigarette until the embers at its end glowed, watching how Zoro was slowly rising from the wood pieces and splinters, the sword never leaving his hand, and that made Sanji cock his brow in question. _

_ “That was a good hit.” Good? Sanji had put all of his strength to reinforce it; how was Zoro still coming up from that. “But you’re forgetting something.” _

_ “Yeah?” Sanji challenged. “What’s that?” _

_ “I’m always gonna be stronger than you.” _

_ In a flash, as Sanji was riled up by the statement, Zoro shot through the air like a bullet and swung again.  This is bad!  Thought Sanji, urgently, as he met the attack with his folded arms, hoping that would deflect the force away from his torso. But he was flung across the lawn instead. _

_ The door to the men’s quarter was luckily still open, and whoever had left it open did him a great favor because, now, Sanji was flying into the room, slamming against the wall so hard that the reverberation caused the sword and the axe that were decorating it to tumble down. _

_ He was still trying to piece it together, exactly when things got so wrong, but there was no time. Zoro was charging again, and the energy spewing from the sword seemed to be consuming him whole. _

_ “Zoro, stop!” _

_ “Is this where you beg me?” Zoro demanded with sinister glee in his voice. “Is this where you admit defeat? Huh? Huh?” _

_ Sanji picked up the axe that was lying next to him, and charged at the swordsman with a cry of war. “As if I’m gonna beg a moronic marimo like you!” _

_ The two metals met in a fierce strike; Sanji had decided long ago not to use his hands in a fight, but that never meant he didn’t know how to use them in combat. If Zoro lost his mind trying to tame Enma, then it fell on Sanji to bring him back to his senses, starting by taking the sword away from him. _

_ Their added drive to the impetus helped them both repel one another, which, in return, forced them longer on their feet; they couldn’t call an end to it until one of them let up a little. _

_ Sanji was so adamant, and, unlike Zoro’s drive, his was to save his friend. He disliked the guy, but he never hated him; hate was such a strong word that never fit right in their healthy rivalry. _

_ And that, somehow, gave Sanji more force. With one last roar, he managed to thrust the axe and to snatch Enma from Zoro’s hand. _

_ He wasn’t going to wait behind and see if the plan worked; he doubted it did. But he was hopeful that taking Enma away from its master would cause some sort of balance in that ridiculous amount of energy they had both been letting out. _

_ Sanji dashed outside the room, looking where to hide the sword while it cried out for its master, and deciding finally to toss it into the fish tank. _

_ His plan was to let the water’s density mask, or, perhaps, even lessen the intensity of the energy, but, if that didn’t help, then Sanji was afraid something more extreme had to be done. _

_ He scanned the lawn after hearing footsteps, and found Zoro coming down from the Crow’s Nest and making a break towards the kitchen. Sanji assumed that was his chance, so he picked up the axe again and went after the swordsman, only to find Zoro speaking into the Den-Den mushi. _

_ “I don’t know! Just get Chopper here as fast as you can!” _

_ For a short second, no more, Zoro was back to his old self, no miasma of dark energy clouding his judgment, and he pleaded with his friends to send help. _

_ “Does intent to kill count–” _

_ Sanji, with anguish, watched how Zoro’s eye regained its menacing glint and then how his hand crushed the phone in his hand. _

_ “Now” –he reeled towards Sanji– “Where were we?” _

_ It didn’t make much sense anymore, and Sanji began to entertain the idea of drastic measures. The others weren’t there, and they’d probably take longer to return, especially if they had to regroup which had always proved difficult with Luffy and his short attention span. _

_ Sanji tightened his hold on the helve, lifted the weapon and held steady. _

_ “Zoro,” he started, hoping for one last resort before he’d decide to actually amputate the swordsman. “You need to fight this.” _

_ “Fight it?” _

_ “This isn’t you!” _

_ “How do you know that?” Zoro wondered with an eerie smile that did not reach his eye. “How do you know that this isn’t the real me, the me that’s always hankered to come out?” _

_ “You–” Sanji had had better think wisely of his next words. “Does the real you intend to kill me?” _

_ Zoro shrugged, leaning back against the counter after having rounded it and placed the other two swords on top of it. “No,” he said. Sanji’s relief was short-lived after Zoro added “It wants to inflict pain first. The color of the blood would look good on a pasty bastard like you.” _

_ “What the hell, Zoro?” _

_ “I know, I know.” The man flicked a hand as if to dismiss his statement. “I just don't know what it is, but there’s something about you” –he eyed Sanji up and down with bare cruelty in his eyes– “it sets me off.” _

_ Sanji stood there, pale and silent. _

_ “I think there are other ways to take down a man besides beating them in a fight.” _

_ Whatever Zoro was angling for, Sanji chose to put a stop to it. They were shipmates, rivals and nakamas, and he didn’t want to complicate it more than that. _

_ A man like Zoro doesn’t do halves; if Sanji had acted on his feelings when he really needed to, he and Zoro would have been solving this with a good exercise in bed. But their lifestyle necessitated this distance; they couldn’t just do what they wanted despite the fact that they were one of the few worthwhile pirates. _

_ Sanji couldn’t allow Zoro to use his feelings, not that way. _

_ “Say that after you’ve beaten me first, you bastard!” _

_ Zoro jumped at him the same time Sanji decided to supply his brazen words with an attack, but Zoro was on a whole new level. He caught the helve of the axe with a hand, and seized Sanji’s neck with the other. When the blond shuffled his legs to kick, Zoro yanked the axe from Sanji’s hand and slammed him down. _

_ Sanji felt the breath get knocked out of his lungs, but it wasn’t helping that Zoro’s hand was now pushing the veins back in. _

_ “You hear that?” Zoro drawled, now ducking lower to Sanji’s lips until their breaths mixed together. “That’s the sound of a man about to lose.” _

_ “Z-zoro!” Sanji managed to croak out, but the hand squeezed tighter, making his kicks lose their vigor. Realizing how bad it’d gotten, he brought his own hands to Zoro’s and started to scratch and slap, anything to get the pressure off a little. _

_ “Now that’s a good look on you.” Zoro smirked in triumph again. “You’re actually enjoying this, aren’t you?” _

_ Who would! Sanji beseeched silently. _

_ He’d seen Zoro go furious for power before, but he’d never shown this… madness. He didn’t understand why tossing the sword into the water didn’t help, but Sanji knew it was time to act. He’d hoped he’d drag this on until Luffy and the others got back, but it was out of option and– _

_ Zoro suddenly grinded on Sanji, making him feel the hard-on against his ass in a way that made Sanji go completely still. _

_ Zoro’s teeth looked sharp as he sneered. _

_ “You –you stupid marimo,” Sanji breathed. “You have to fight this! Zoro, don’t make me hurt you…” _

_ “Hurt me?” That seemed to tick Zoro off a little. “You seem to be forgetting who’s pinning you on the floor right now.” _

_ To show how angered he was, Zoro hefted Sanji up from the neck, and slammed him on the floor, again, and again, until Sanji was forced to throw a punch to Zoro’s cheek. If he looked angry by Sanji’s words, Zoro now looked lived with Sanji’s punch. _

_ “You just don’t know when to quit, do you?” Saying so, Zoro removed the pressure from Sanji’s neck, and, instead, switched his attack to a hail of punches from his iron fist that didn’t seem to be receding. _

_ Sanji wasn’t going to lie there and let Zoro do that to himself; he might wake up and might blame himself if Sanji allowed himself to be beaten. He reached up, grabbed a hold and pulled him down, trapped his leg with his own, used an over hook to trap Zoro’s arm, pushed his hips up and rotated them so that he was on top of Zoro instead. _

_ Zoro didn’t look impressed by the technique, he was distracted by something else; Sanji could see his eye shifting to look at the door. He thought he was looking for an escape, but that didn’t sound right. But when Zoro kicked him off, hurried to pick his swords and dashed out of the kitchen, Sanji knew the man had managed to locate the sword that Sanji had hidden. _

_ “As if I’m gonna let you!” Sanji picked the axe again and dashed after him, to the aquarium bar. Upon arriving, he’d hear the sound of glass crashing, and that’s when he saw Zoro, standing on a pool of water, swiping Kitetsu to cut through the rest of the tank glass. _

_ Sanji used the opportunity that Zoro was leaning down to pick up the sword to rocket himself towards the swordsman with Diable Jambe, and blast him across the room. _

_ He wasn’t going to let a piece of metal bring an ending to this ship and its occupants; there were still more islands to explore, more treasure to steal and more people to save. They still needed to find One Piece, and Sanji still needed to find All Blue. _

_ Sanji decided; if he couldn’t find a way to save Zoro from Enma’s curse, then he was just going to latch on to the other option. Zoro was a monster and had monster abilities, a simple wound he’d heal from. _

_ As Zoro scrambled up from his fall to try to snatch Enma that had fallen a few feet away, Sanji planted his foot on his chest to keep him down. _

_ “What’re you planning to do, huh?” Zoro dared, and, for once during their fight, he looked actually troubled by what Sanji might do. “Are you just going to kill me with that thing?” _

_ “If that’s going to solve it, then so be it!” He didn’t understand if Zoro was stalling, or if it was the real Zoro reaching out. _

_ “It doesn’t have to end this!” _

_ Not a chance; if Zoro had an ounce of control on that thing, he’d have grabbed it. Determined even more, Sanji lifted the axe above head. _

_ So, in the end, he was the one who had to do it. To be true, Sanji had always believed he’d be the one to go out first. Not that he didn’t trust in his powers, but, how to say it, Zoro had the luck of the devil. _

_ Besides, if Zoro had any control at all, he’d have found a way to tell Sanji. After all, they never really needed words to communicate. _

_ “Oh, I’m going to end it, alright.” _

_ Sanji took one last swing, the sharp edge of the axe thrusting through the air with vengeance; he hated being the one to deliver the final blow, but since things had gotten so bad, there was no way out of it. _

_ How was he going to explain his failure to his friends? _

__

_ “Sanji, stop!” _

_ Like a ray of hope shining after the dark clouds had scattered, Chopper’s voice broke through to him;  it’s alright , it seemed to say,  we’re here now . _

_ Sanji quickly changed his plan and twisted the axe’s helve so that the blade was facing the opposite direction. But he didn’t count on Zoro’s cunningness; the man grabbed Enma, and all Sanji could register after that was blinding pain flaring up in his shoulder… _

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End file.
